Alexandriah Govan, a 23-year-old waitress from Glasgow, Scotland, recently posted a TikTok video where she refills ketchup bottles, visibly gagging and reacting strongly. The video, which has garnered over 87 million views, highlights her fear of ketchup, rooted in a childhood incident where her sister sprayed her with it. Govan explained that both the smell and color of ketchup cause her distress, and she struggles to manage her reactions while working. Her aversion extends beyond just ketchup, encompassing many other sauces and even certain food textures.
In her TikTok, viewers expressed their own fears of ketchup, with some relating to Govan’s experience. Therapist Rachel Goldberg, specializing in eating disorder recovery, commented that Govan’s aversion might not constitute a true phobia, suggesting that her discomfort is significant but manageable. Goldberg noted that food-related phobias often stem from past traumas, like Govan’s spraying incident. She advised that to confront and possibly overcome her fear, Govan could gradually expose herself to ketchup in less distressing contexts or reframe her understanding of it. By reducing her focus on the phobia, Govan might gain confidence in handling her discomfort better in the future.
